LAHORE: Imam-ul-Haq’s tangled knock and Mohammad Rizwan’s sturdy 63* were enough to kick off Pakistan’s Super 4 campaign began on a triumphant note with a 7-wicket victory against Bangladesh at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.
Left-handed opener Imam-ul-Haq announced his arrival in the Asia Cup with his rollicking knock of 78 to keep Pakistan’s unbeaten run in the Asia Cup intact.
While chasing a low total of 194, Pakistan kept their nerves cool, looking to rotate strikes on every possibility, dealing in boundaries before the floodlights went off and halted the play at Lahore forcing the players to leave the field after the fifth over.
Usually, such delays often break the concentration of batters, and this was the case for Pakistan batters.
Fakhar Zaman’s concentration lapsed momentarily and he ended up getting his legs pinned in front of the wicket. Shoriful Islam’s delivery which was deliberately angled into his body after bowling a handful of outswingers did the trick.
Fakhar once again departed without making a mark in the opening for the hosts. Babar stepped in to replicate his 151 stand against Nepal in the campaign opener.
Babar and Imam stayed on the pitch for a while, looking to build a partnership and avoid an early scare.
Every now and then, Imam had a moment of scare appeals going against him for LBW, but fortune stayed by his side.
Babar on the other hand was not so fortunate, the ball went crashing into the stumps following a bottom edge in pacer Taskin Ahmed’s over.
Imam and Mohammad Rizwan stitched up an 85-run partnership to pave the way for Pakistan’s victory.
Imam who has played some famous knocks at Lahore continued to live up to his reputation and completed his half-century in the 25th over with a maximum.
On the other hand, Rizwan who was battling against cramps fought till the last moment and finished off the game for his team. Bangladesh tried to make a comeback late in the game with Mehidy Hasan Miraz claiming Imam’s wicket for a score of 78(84).
Earlier in the innings, put to field first, Pakistan’s pace attack troubled Bangladeh’s opener from the very start. Naseem Shah drew first blood as he dismissed Mehidy Hasan Miraz for 0 in the second over of the game.
Litton Das then came out to bat and the latter opened his tally with a stylish four off Naseem. However, Das could not extend his stay at the crease as he fell prey to Shaheen Afridi after scoring 16.
Captain Shakib Al Hasan then came out to bat. The pair of Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim kept Bangladesh’s scoreboard ticking with their aggressive shots.
Bangladesh’s famed duo Al Hasan and Rahim forged an exceptional century stand before the southpaw fell after scoring a gritty. A missed time shot from Bangladesh’s captain landed straight in the hands of Fakhar Zaman at the mid-wicket off Faheem Ashraf’s delivery. Rahim also brought up his half-century after taking a double off Ashraf’s delivery. It was his 46th ODI half-century.
After the dismissal of Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur was joined by Shamim Hossain at the crease.
Making things all the more tougher was Pakistan’s pace battery, which was at its regal best. Haris Rauf struck in the 38th over, providing Pakistan with two massive breakthroughs as he dismissed Mushfiqur Rahim and Taskin Ahmed for 54 and 0 respectively.
Both the batters lost their wickets in a similar way as they ended up giving catches to wicketkeeper Mohammed Rizwan.
Pakistan Pacers continued their splendid run in the match when Naseem removed Afif Hossain and Shoriful Islam, bringing an end to Bangladesh’s innings for just 193 runs.
Brief score: Bangladesh 193 (Mushfiqur Rahim 64, Shakib Al Hasan 53; Haris Rauf 4-19) vs Pakistan 194/3 (Imam-ul-Haq 78, Mohammad Rizwan 63*; Taskin Ahmed 1-32). (ANI)